Mohanlal's portrait crafted from jackfruits as special gift for his 65th birthday

In a heartfelt tribute to Malayalam movie icon Mohanlal, who turns 65 on May 21, artist Da Vinci Suresh has crafted a stunning portrait entirely from jackfruit parts. The artwork was created in a jackfruit orchard in Thrissur, with elements sourced directly from the trees, and it turned out to be a beautiful gift for Kerala's beloved actor.

The face of Mohanlal was created by combining various elements of the jackfruit — including the rind, seeds, pods, and husk — arranged in different varieties and colours. The portrait was crafted in the midst of the jackfruit orchard, which boasts 65 different varieties of jackfruit, the same number as the age Mohanlal is turning. The background was decorated with jackfruit leaves in shades of green, yellow, and orange.

This marks the 97th media artwork by Da Vinci Suresh and was created at the Ayur Jack Farm owned by Varghese Tharakan in Kurumalkunnu, Velur, Thrissur. The portrait, measuring eight feet in width and two feet in height, was built by stretching a cloth on a frame, sketching Mohanlal’s face, and then carefully placing jackfruit rinds to complete the image.

The project took about five hours and used nearly twenty jackfruits. Workers from the farm, cameraman Sinbad, and friends Riyas Madavan and Sait Shafi assisted Da Vinci Suresh. The farm is notable for being the first jackfruit orchard in Kerala to receive a UN award.

Suresh said that a rare red jackfruit was the inspiration behind the idea. Several people, including Wadakkanchery MLA Xavier Chittilappilly, visited to see the portrait.